At 2013’s Denver Comic Con, a young lady dared to ask a very important question of Wil Wheaton, star of Star Trek: The Next Generation and The Big Bang Theory: “When you were a kid, were you called a nerd, and if so, how did you deal with it? And his answer was perfect.

Without an ounce of condescension, he addressed to difficult topic with grace and compassion. It’s too rare that we’re reminded that as children and as adults, all of us, be we nerds or jocks, are in this crazy social world together, and Wheaton’s message of empathy is as timeless as it is wise. As The Future Machinewriter Tim Kail so eloquently puts it, “I'm twenty-seven, and the only bullies I encounter nowadays are the voices in my head, but I still found Wheaton's response helpful and enlightening.”

After Comic Con, the young woman’s mother contacted Wheaton to explain that her daughter, inspired by the actor’s words, now sticks up for other bullied kids in her class. Further, the girl and the peer who had treated her cruelly is now on good terms. It’s amazing how far a little kindness can go!